Before diving into a recap of Starz’s Heels season two episode two, let’s take a brief look at what went down in the season two premiere.
Season two episode one spent most of the hour with a flashback to the events immediately following Tom Spade’s suicide. Heels fans learned more about Jack and Ace’s relationship, and that Ace (Alexander Ludwig) finally convinced Jack (Stephen Amell) to allow him to enter the ring for the first time. Ace made his wrestling debut during a special one-night-only tribute to his father’s memory.
It turned out that Ace is a natural in the ring.
Episode one also briefly caught up with the celebration in the aftermath of the season one final’s championship match at the South Georgia State Fair that found Bunny transforming from valet to belt holder. Jack’s relationship with Staci is on the rocks, and she’s taking a break from Jack by staying at a friend’s house with their son, Thomas.
Most importantly, in the current timeline, it’s revealed that Ace has packed up and left town. And Jack confessed his feelings about his dad in a phone call to Staci, admitting he hasn’t missed him one single day single he committed suicide.
In one of the most heart-wrenching scenes of the season premiere, Jack finally gave in and opened the only letter his father wrote before ending his life. It simply says, “Jack, Take care of Ace. Dad.”
And now, onto the episode two recap:
Willie (Mary McCormack) is being hounded for money to cover DWL’s past-due bills, which confuses her hubby and daughter since they thought she was quitting the wrestling league. Meanwhile, Jack’s sacked out on the couch when Staci (Alison Luff) calls with a reminder about a meeting. (Jack sucks at using the calendar app.)
Jack shifts into panic mode because he forgot the meeting for his other job – the one that pays the bills. Before Jack hangs up, Staci reminds him that their son’s in trouble at school, and they both need to show up at the disciplinary meeting.
Wild Bill (Chris Bauer) is having a much better morning than pretty much everyone else after a night of sex with Constance, the fair commissioner. Willie gives Bill a hard expletive-filled time about his latest conquest and orders him to get Constance to hand over the money she owes the DWL.
Constance hands over more than just the check. (wink wink)
Crystal (Kelli Berglund) arrives at work to applause from Bobby (Trey Tucker). She’s still pumped up over winning the belt and confesses she didn’t sleep. She thanks Bobby for being in her corner.
Jack and Willie discuss DWL’s debt, and Jack reminds her they only did the state fair to build up buzz; it wasn’t for the money. Willie catches Jack up on Charlie Gully’s latest campaign to smear the DWL, with his minions now mocking Crystal’s win online. Jack’s fine with that. Any buzz is good buzz.
“Mystery plus confusion equals ticket sales,” according to Jack. Willie doesn’t have her head stuck in the clouds and knows they need a plan, or else she has no idea what to promote. Is Crystal champ? Was the win legitimate? Inquiring minds want to know, and it would help if Jack gave her just a tiny hint at what comes next.
Their discussion reveals that Jack still has no idea Ace is gone – as in not physically in Duffy. Jack keeps leaving him messages apologizing and promising to build DWL’s future together.
While Jack might not know the next steps, Wild Bill has big plans. Whatever the wrestling equivalent is to having your head in the game and eye on the ball, he’s nailing it. Ricky Rabies (C.M. Punk) is going to stick around, and Bill thinks there’s a lot of upside to the DWL. However, they need announcers, big screens, and a podcast – at the very least.
No one in the DWL knows whether Crystal actually won the belt, but there needs to be a clarification, or they might lose fans. Jack arrives to lead a wrap-up and thanks everyone individually for their hard work, but it’s Crystal who receives the most praise, along with the absent Ace.
Jack admits he screwed things up with his brother after they swore a vow of loyalty. He takes all the blame for what went down with Ace and apologizes for putting their hard work at risk. He needs to work on a new script and officially welcomes Crystal to the roster as a DWL wrestler. Oh, and by the way, her win is going to be invalidated.
Crystal’s jaw drops, and she hurries after Jack and calls bullsh*t on this development. Jack reminds her that she swore she’d do whatever it takes to help the DWL.
Willie’s been lurking out of sight, and she’s the next to call Crystal out. Crystal needs to pull her head out of her butt and work her way up like everyone else. Also, if she doesn’t have any solutions, she needs to hold her tongue and get in line. Plus, if she doesn’t build up her stamina, she’ll never make it in the ring.
That night, Jack finally shows up at his mom’s house and learns Ace packed up food and a sleeping bag. Oh, and he packed his Xbox which means he’s not just camping.
Crystal learns what 30 minutes in the ring feels like with the help of Bobby, Diego (Robby Ramos), and Dad (Scott Hunter). 10 minutes feels like an eternity, and Crystal realizes that Willie was right about a lot of things.
It’s time for Jack and Staci’s meeting at the school, and Jack fills her in on Ace’s disappearance. The meeting with Principal Maura Barry and district school psychologist Jennifer Stone begins, and Jack claims his son was bullied. The way to handle bullies is to punch them. However, he also realizes that Thomas using his fists at school is not allowed even after Thomas was told to “f**k himself.”
Jack can’t stop digging himself a hole and suggests that his son got bullied and taught the bully a life lesson about threats and fighting words. Maura explains that there aren’t any fighting words in school because violence can lead to school shootings. There will not be any punching, kicking, or pulling hair ever – under any circumstances.
Fortunately, and despite Jack’s unnecessary input, Thomas is let off his suspension.
After the meeting, Staci suggests that Jack needs to listen more. (You think?!) He’s too confrontational, and she thought they were going to approach raising Thomas as a team. Staci refuses to come home because Jack’s changed how he expresses himself, and it’s not healthy for their relationship.
Jack swears he’s just a man who’s trying to provide and build a home for his family. He realizes he’s failing. His wife and son have left him home alone, and he doesn’t know where Ace is.
“I’m just a dude who’s trying, and all I’m doing instead is f**king everything up. I’m a disaster,” says Jack, speaking the truth.
Jack wants to find the guy he was before and claims he’s going to figure it out.
Jack leaves his umpteenth message begging Ace to tell him what to do to get him back home. Resigned to his absence, Jack tells the gang he’s got a new plan. Crystal will be on the card and if she drowns, they won’t have wasted any time. He’ll write a promo and shoot it that evening.
After Jack leaves, Diego can’t believe the state of the DWL. Rooster’s defected, Ace is gone, Apocalypse is AWOL, and Bobby’s leg is broken.
Bill informs Jack he’s there to help and explains that telling him he doesn’t know what he’s doing isn’t meant as an insult. They’ve worked themselves into a corner with the title match’s finish. Bill’s certain Jack can write a script, but he has ideas he wants to share – if Jack’s willing to listen.
“Let’s put our heads together and get this sh*t going,” says Bill, offering a notebook with 7,000ish ideas.
The promo shoot gets underway, and Jack and Bill’s plan is revealed. Crystal was erroneously awarded the title because she wasn’t a legal competitor. The ref (Bobby) is suspended, and Wild Bill is apologized to for their mishandling of his poopy pants situation. Bill’s offered a rematch for the title against Jack.
They put on a great show, with Wild Bill even screaming that he was poisoned by Bunny Bombshell. Crystal grabs the mic and declares she’s not Bunny Bombshell or Tits McGee. She will be called Crystal Tyler – nothing else.
The match is set for Saturday between Jack and Bill, with Ace invited to come home and make a challenge for the belt if he wants to. If he doesn’t, someone else will take his spot.
Saturday arrives, and the arena’s packed. It’s standing-room-only, and Willie’s sure they’ll actually make money tonight. Jack leaves one final message for Ace before the match begins.
The crowd boos Jack and since Ace isn’t there, any man on the DWL can fill his spot. Crystal yells, “How about a woman?” from the rafters and demands a chance to win back her belt.
Crystal gets the crowd worked up, calling out the men who are trying to dismiss her. She enters the ring and declares, “My name is Crystal Tyler and I am the baddest b*tch the DWL has ever seen!”
Wild Bill and Jack toss out some insults before Jack agrees to let her fight. Crystal comes out kicking, knocking Bill out of the ring. Jack and Crystal get into it, and it looks as legitimately vicious as wrestling gets.
Eddie Earl (Joel Murray) and Ricky Rabies provide entertaining color commentary as the match continues, reminding the crowd it’s a ladder match. You need the ladder to win the match and claim the belt.
Crystal takes possession of the ladder, but Jack grabs her and holds her high above his head. Crystal reacts by wrapping herself around his neck until Jack taps out, pretending to fall unconscious. Just as Crystal grabs the belt, Bill knocks the ladder out from under her. She manages to hold on to the rope strung above the ring and makes her way to the stands with the belt!
She holds it high and the crowd roars, chanting, “Crystal,” as Jack stomps off, upset.
Backstage, Bill and Jack congratulate each other on doing the right thing. Bill knows they’ll both be fine. After all, he once lost to Vanilla Ice and a Ninja Turtle.
The guys and Willie cheer backstage, and Crystal gives Willie a hug for all her help and advice.
Crystal and Jack shake hands, and then she pulls him in for a hug. Everyone’s celebrating and toasting to Crystal’s victory, but it’s obvious Jack’s mind is on his missing brother.
Travels with Ace
Ace is on the road, the crown in a box on the seat next to him. He’s learning the hard way that stores make you buy something to use their restrooms, and he’s taking bad advice from talk radio. He’s going to pursue “the astonishing now,” but first, he needs Siri’s help defining transcendent.
Apparently, he’s going to transcend his normal life by heading off to Dover Springs.
Ace’s adventures include ordering only toast because he’s short on cash, stealing money – again, because he didn’t think ahead – and discovering that raincoats are good to wear in the rain. Who knew? Well, everyone but Ace.
Ace also learns that bears hang out in the woods and that Dover Springs is a hotbed of bear activity. He’s wearing soccer shoes that aren’t meant for hiking and doesn’t have bear spray. Or a tent. The salesman speaks for all of us when he holds his head and says, “Oh my god.”
To summarize, Ace is completely unprepared and in way over his head with this camping quest in search of transcendence.
After a lot of help from the salesman, Ace makes it to Dover Springs and strides past the sign that warns to bring plenty of water and beware of bears. He happily nods to fellow hikers as he sticks to the trail until he reaches an overlook. He camps nearby overnight (with a tent and adequate supplies, again, thanks to the salesman) and watches the DWL promo inviting him back to fight.
Ace emerges from his tent in the dead of night and listens to his phone messages. Because he’s Ace and not in the least bit aware of his surroundings, he slips off the edge of the cliff, his phone falling beyond his reach.
He tumbles, and it sounds like he’s injured himself by the crunching noises as he falls. Luckily, he doesn’t fall all the way to the ground.
The episode ends with Ace landing on a ledge and screaming for help.
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